The crushing defeat of the Social Democrat-led government in the Netherlands confirms the trend recently seen in France, with the shock defeat of the Socialist Lionel Jospin and record support for Jean-Marie Le Pen and his National Front.

In France, the Netherlands and elsewhere, many voters on low-to-middle incomes have turned away from left-of-centre parties and embraced resurgent right-wing groups instead.

The Social Democrats claim to have a good record of economic growth and cutting unemployment.